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KATE BOOST
‘Great sign’ Princess Kate is out and about doing errands – cruel trolls are a waste of time, royal expert says
The Prince and Princess of Wales are said to be 'devastated' by the speculation over Kate's health
PRINCESS Kate being spotted out and about running errands is a "great sign", a royal expert has said.
The mum-of-three is still recuperating from her abdominal surgery and is not set to return to her royal duties until after the Easter holidays.
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But as the Princess of Wales attempts to get back into the swing of her normal life, she has been spotted on three occasions since Kensington Palace announced her three-month recovery.
In most recent sightings, Kate took a trip to her favourite farm shop on Saturday.
Onlookers said she looked “happy, relaxed and healthy” on the visit a mile from her Adelaide Cottage home in Windsor.
In a further boost on Sunday, Kate and William spent the morning watching children George, ten, Charlotte, eight, and Louis, five, take part in sports.
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It comes after wild speculation and gossip about her health and whereabouts left Kate and Wills “devastated”.
'LOVE HER DEARLY'
Royal expert Hugo Vickers spoke exclusively to The Sun and revealed Kate's short outings are a "good thing" and show the country she is doing well - adding cruel trolls are a "waste of time".
He said: "We love her dearly. She does a fantastic job, and it's a pity that people have taken this sort of attitude towards her.
"But supposing there could be, let's say, some moving footage of her walking around the garden with the children, I would have thought something like that
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"I mean a shopping expedition, a visit to a school match. These are all very positive things.
The Princess of Wales enjoyed a stroll with hubby Wills in her first public outing after major surgery
"These are things which so-called normal parents do very regularly and totally. It's a thoroughly good thing."
No images of Kate's farm shop outing or watching her kids play over the weekend have been published.
Hugo added: "You know the the fact that there's no photograph as such makes me think that, that wouldn't be from the school.
"But there could have been easily a snap taken at the farm shop, I suppose?
"But maybe that's a good sign as well that people respected her privacy as she was out on a private expedition.
A lot of the things that the Sussexes and their trolls do are a waste of time
Hugo Vickers
"We don't need to know everything about Catherine.
"What we do long to know is that she's well and up and about and soon you know, taking her place again, because she is an enormous asset to the Royal Family, much loved and much respected."
Kate was also embroiled in hurtful criticism over a Mother’s Day picture which she altered using Photoshop.
The royal was trolled online for her attempt to alter the snap with her kids.
Hugo said the public should "leave her alone" during what is understandably a fragile time.
He added: "The photograph was well received when it first came out, and then it was criticised later.
"But as the week went on, I think the general attitude suddenly over here in Britain and amongst intelligent people was, oh, come on, you know.
'Lay off Kate'
The Sun last week led the way in defending Princess Kate when she was being criticised from all angles over the edited photo saga.
Social media trolls were quick to attack the future Queen over her editing of a Mother’s Day family picture.
Media critics also weighed in with their opinions alongside the idiotic conspiracy theorists, but The Sun stood alone in saying: Lay off Kate.
Our front page blasted: "The furious attacks on the future Queen over her photoshopping of a Mother’s Day family picture are not just absurd.
"They now look like a bullying campaign against a devoted mum, recovering from a serious operation, who simply wanted to offer the public a perfect portrait of her and her kids.
"She meant well, made a mistake and fessed up. Fair enough.
"Now leave her alone to get over her op."
"Leave her alone, let her get better at her own pace.
"We admire her and respect her. And why are we treating her as if she's some sort of a criminal for having, maybe, you know, tried to improve a photograph one way or another.
"It was very unattractive what was done last week, but I think the sympathy is absolutely there.
'WORKING FOR THE NATION'
Hugo believes people should pay less heed to online trolls: "I think a lot of the things that the Sussexes and their trolls do are a waste of time. Quite frankly.
"They are not a part of the working royal family. They are unlike William and Catherine, who are working for the nation.
"For us, doing good things for Britain and the Commonwealth, they are doing things for themselves.
"That is the difference. So I don't really take very seriously what they or their henchmen get up to quite honestly."
Palace sources told The Sunday Times that Kate is keen to speak about her health battle — but only when she returns to frontline duties.
They will want to be clear and more open, but they’ll do it when they feel ready
Source
One friend said: “She and William are at their most open when out interacting with the public.
“I can see a world in which the Princess might discuss her recovery out on engagements.
“If she was going to do it, that’s how she would do it.
“They appreciate the public’s love and affection for their children and know there is a public appetite to see them on their birthdays.”
Kensington Palace maintains Kate is “doing well” and will offer only significant updates as she recovers.
The friend said Wills and Kate had been “shaken” by the online hysteria over her health and the fallout over her Mother’s Day snap.
But they said the couple refused to be pushed into revealing details.
The pal added: “They will want to be clear and more open, but they’ll do it when they feel ready.
“I would expect that to be her instinct and it will be her call. They are not going to be rushed.”
'KATESPIRACIES'
Kate was discharged 13 days after her January operation.
But as she recuperated speculation grew online over her health.
It was stoked further when William pulled out of a memorial service last month.
“Katespiracies” have ranged from her getting cosmetic surgery to appearing as a contestant on The Masked Singer.
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Kate is unlikely to return until after April 17 when her children go back to Lambrook School, near Ascot, following the Easter holidays.
But last night, it was reported that she has not ruled out making a return to the public eye on Easter Sunday when she could join her family for the traditional walk to church in Windsor.